Gas washing apparatus



Aug. 30, 1949.

Filed f'Aug. 25, 1945 A. R. EARL GAS WASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet lAug.30,1949. A, REARL 2,480,719

- GASv WASHING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 1945 2 sheets-shee 2 Bf @M9Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS WASHING APPARATUSAlfred R. Earl, Toledo, Ohio Application August 25, 1945, Serial No.612,676

This invention relates to an apparatus for washing gases in which gasesare periodically drawn into and expelled from the washer by theoperation of liquid piston pumps. It may be used for treating producergas, for cooling, precipitating solids, for rectiiication purposes, orfor any other purpose where an intimate contact of a liquid with a gasis required.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention using twinunits so arranged that in one unit the gases are being drawn in to thewasher, while in the other unit the gases are being washed and expelledtherefrom.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic Vview of the controls, the position of thecontrols being at the position opposite to that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view Vfrom the left of one pair of units.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the gas intake control valve, showing thesame in closed position.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the pulsation tank, with a part broken awayto show the float and guide in sections,

As best shown in Figure 1, the apparatus consists of four tanksoperating as two pairs of units. Each unit consists of a pumping tank Iand a washing tank 4, connected by a conduit 2; the arrangement beingsuch that, by periodically applying and releasing pressure in tank I, abody of liquid in the tank will be lowered and raised, thus forcing theliquid level to simultaneously be raised and lowered in the washing tank4, as liquid passes from tank to tank through conduit 2. The liquid thusacts as a hydraulic piston to draw in gases during the lowering periodand tov expel and wash them during the rising period. By a system ofcontrols, later to be described, two units' being in pairs, one washertank is inhaling and the other is exhaling.

The duct 2 enters a bottom opening 3 of a second vertical axis washingtank 4 (Figure 3). Under the practice adopted herein, it is proposed tohave the tanks I, 4, in the range of r ft. in diameter, and theconnecting duct or conduit 2 about 2 it. in diameter. The upward pitchor inclination of the duct 2 is shown as about 25. For the hydraulicpiston, there is volume of liquid, as water 5, such that, with theconnecting duct 2 filled and the upper liquid level in the tank 4 notquite to its bottom, the tank I should be nearly full.

There is a throat or restriction E, centered by a spider I at the bottomopening 3 from the tank 4.

1 Claim. (Cl. 2.61-24) During the lowering of the liquid level in thetank 4, this throat 6 acts as a nozzle. Inasmuch as the spider 'I is notfixed in the opening 3, the action is that the throat 6 is liftedsufficiently to permit relatively free back flow of water 5 from thetank I through the duct 2 into the tank 4 through the opening 3. As thisiiow to the tank 4 lessens or stops, the spider 'I and the throat 6settle back to nozzle position.

A breathing chamber 8, into which new gas is drawn and from which it isexpelled by the action of the liquid piston, is in tank 4 above theliquid 5. The tank 4 has a partition 9 with a central port IB to thechamber 8. A poppet valve II is upwardly movable to close the port Ill.

The arrangement is such that gas is drawn in through valves II andexpelled through perforations in partitions 9 upon which partitions 9 aliquid level is maintained.

To actuate the liquid piston, air under pressure from compressor I4, issupplied to header I5 connected to both tanks through branches I6, whichextend to valve chambers I'I. 'Ihe lower side of chambers I'I have portsI8 opening into a connecting pipe I3 and into the top of the tanks I.

In a branch duct I9 from the header I5 is a valve 2() to controlcompressed air flow from the compressor I4 to a chest 2| for a slidevalve 22 (Figures 1, 2). With the valve chambers I'I for adjacent tanksI aligned, a common piston rod 23 may extend therebetween and have fixedon said rod 23 at the region of the chest 2l, a piston in the housing24. Also xed with the rod 23, one at each chamber I'I, is a piston valve25 adapted to be moved across the port I8. With the valve 25 opening theport I8 for communication with the branch I5 (Figure 2 at the left) thevalve "25 at the port I8'is in its extreme position at the right andopens the tank I pipe I3 for communication through the port I8 with abranch 26 of a header 2I (Figure 1) The header 21 is connected to a main28 having a valve 29 therein. It is to be noted that the valve 25,connecting the branch I6 to the tank I, cuts off the tank I fromcommunication with the branch 2B in the showing at the left of Figure 2.Conversely, in the showing at the right of Figure 2, the valve 25, as inposition to connect the tank I at the right with the branch 26, cuts 01Tcommunication to this tank I from the branch I6. This out-flow of airfrom the right hand tank I (Figure 2) allows the hydraulic piston to actfrom gravity for in-flow of liquid from its companion tank 4 (Figure 1at the right). This means that as the chamber I 2 in E the tank I is ofless volume, the chamber 8 above the hydraulic piston in the tank 4 isincreased.

Operation of the inlet and exhaust valves described above is elected asfollows: At the top of each chamber I a float 39 is arranged in guide33. To the float is attached a vertical rod 3l whose descent iscushioned by a spring 32. Fixed to rod 3I is an arm attached to fixedcollar 34 whose free end is linked with a pivoted L-shaped lever 35. Theothery arm of the L operates a valve 22 through the push rod 36 andvalve stem 3l. Valve 22 controls flow of pressure fluid to the piston inhousing 24 to move the rod 23 to 4 is a duct 39 having a gas supplybranch 40 (Figures l, 3) thereto from a hfeader 4I of producer gas. Astem 42 from the valve Ily (Figures 3, 4)- extendsf through packing 4.3.Connected to the stem 42 is. a. eounterweight 44 for approximating abalanced condition forY the valve LI. and its: connected parts. Uponenergizing o i an electromagnet 45, the valve It isl closed at the portI0. Sudden throwing of the valve II- isa dampened by a dashpot 46,adjusted by an inlet valve 41, with further cushioning by a helicalcompression spring 46* about the rodv 42. The; dashpot 46 has anadjustable outlet valve 48 to control or slow down opening, ofA thevalve l0.

Electromagnets 45 are energized by closing of switches 5,9, which inturnl are closed by operatingy arms 5I attached to rod- 2'3. Helicalsprings 5 2 urge the switches to open position, and they are closed bypressure of arms 5I. As` seen in Figure 1, closing oi left hand switch.Il completes a circuit fromline 49, through left switch 59, line 53,right handv magnet45, to line. 54. Onr reverse movement,y left handswitch 5i!v opens,v while at. the righ-t hand. end the other switch 59,will be closed and a circuit. completed from line 49. through the closedswitch 511 to a line 53 extending to the left hand magnet 4.5, and fromthis magnet to;` line 54.` Thusthe, popplet valves are. arranged toropenwhen theliquid isfalling and to.y close when theliquid is rising in eachof tanks 4.. The chamber 8 in which the liquid 5. is rising. toward the4closedY valve il, builds up( a pressure in. this chamber.. Ball. checkvalve ports 5 5 are. in the, partition 9 fromthe. chamber 8 outwardfrom. the port I9. The tank 4, upward from the Ralttion 9, hasa 1chamber56. A liquid, as water 5T, provides .a level in this chamber 56submerging the, check valves 55 through which valves the gas, underpressure in the chamber 8', may bubble into the chamberl 56'. Besideswashingthe gas as bubbling into the chamber 56, the liquid 51 may havedischarge through jets 58 in the duct 39 just above the closed' valveII. With the Valve tII closed, there is thus a shallow pool in the lowerportion of the duct 39, With the valve. ll

open, this pool is spilled into the chamber 8 with the inrushing rawgas, while the washing action is supplemented by flow from the jets 58.

Liquid to be treated is supplied from a duct El' (Figure 1), to branches68, which, as shown in Figure 3, deliver to central funnel member 69.The gases, after bubbling through this body of liquid above thepartition 9, are drawn off through a duct 6l to a header '66.

In cases of gases to be washed', this washing function is thusaccomplished by ther bubbling action, and replenished through the supplypipes 68.

In case the liquid is to be fractionated, provision is made for drawingoff the heavier fractions through a line 6I and the lighter fractionsthrough a line 6.3. The heavier liquid may flow through ports 59 intoring chamber 6G, from which it. is drawn oi through the line 6I. Thelighter fractions accumulate near the surface of the liquid body andover ow into a pan 62, from whichY they are drawn off by line 63.

Liquid for the hydraulic piston is supplied through a line '13, reducingvalve. 14, branch line. l5 and check valves 'I5 b-y the tanks I.

Heavier particles which may be washed from, the gases and get intothelower portion or tan-ks 4. may be drawn oi trom the lower end of thebend in conduit 2 through pipes H- controlled` by valves 12.

What. is clair-ned and it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

En a. gas treating deviea, a pair of intercom--` nected gas treatingunits, keach unit comprising a pumping tank and a wash-ing tank, aconduit connecting the lower ends; of said tanks, said con-1 duit andAthe lower portion of said tanks being adapted to contain. a body ofliquid, means. to periodically supply and later exhaust a pressure gasto and from thev top of said; pumping tank to force said liquid to riseand fall as a hydraulicpiston in said washing tank; a horizontalperiorate partition said washing tank with means tofallowgases topassupwardly therethrough but prevent liquid from flowing downwardly,A meansfor. a gas to bef supplied to the space beneath said partition and` fora liquid tobe` supplied above the. same as a pool, and valve means soccordi hated with said pressure` gas su-ppiy and exhaust.

f means, that gas is drawn in tol one unit at the same timeA it is beingexpelledV and. Washed inthe other unit by bubbling through said pool.

' ALF-RED R. EARL.

REFERENCES CITED` The following references are of record in the leoithisv patent.:

UNITED STATES' PATENTS Number Name Date 248,981 Babbitt Nov. l, 1831''194,166 Oursier May 30, 1905 9323048 Mower Aug'. 24, 1909= 934,205 Nix-Sept. 14, 1909 1,956,390 Klotz' Apr. 24', 11934- 1,986,9 1-3f Anthony,Ji. Jan. 8, 1935 2,061,938 Griswold Nov. 24, 193'6 21,164,976" WesgerberJuly 4, 19391V

